Grain-dampener.



No, PATENTE@ MAR M), MGE.

v AE H. @RMN DAMSENER APPLwATIoN FILED SEPT. 27, 1907.

S SEEETS-SEEET 2.

ALVAII. KIRK, oF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN-DAMPENERL k1re. 881,135-,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1o, 190s.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA H. KIRK, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Dampeners and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its especial object to provide an improved apparatus for moistening'wheat and other grains according to the quantity and condition of the flowing stream of grain, and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the art of milling it is the universal custom to put wheat through what is known as the tem ering process, before it is delivered to the st break rollers. 'Ifhis tempering process consists in commingling water `or steam, or both, with the wheat, thereby applying to the wheat berry an amount of moisture sufficient to toughen the bran or outer coating thereof, so that it will not break or cut up finely enough to go through the bolting medium and hence become com mingled with the flour. Great care must be taken in thus applying the water to the wheat that there shall not be enough water to penetrate to the interior of the wheat berry and thereby soften the gluten and starch thereof, because if these inner substances are rendered damp andsoft the Wheat is made unfit for milling. Wheat that is very dry will, of course, require a larger percentage or relative amount of water than wheat that is already quite damp, in orderv to put the bran or outer coating of the berry in the proper condition above stated. Hence, in su plying the water to the wheat in the so-ca led tempering process, not only the quantity or amountof wheat flowing, per unit of time, must be taken into conslderation, but the condition of the wheat, as to amount of moisture already contained therein, must also be considered. 'Otherwise stated, regardless of the amount of moisture primarilyr contained in the wheat, all wheat should come to the first break rollers with the same amount of moisture contained therein. Wet wheat is vheavier than dry wheat and, hence, if the water be supplied to the wheat by proportioning it to thel weight of the grainfor to the impact produced thereby in an 'unobstructed fall, it is evident that the wettest grain will be amount of water, and the driest grain wil be given the smallest amount of water, which is a result exactly opposite to that which is required for putting the grain into the proper condition for milling.

In my inventionI of the fact that the dry grain will pass more rapidly than the damp or wet gram over an inclined frictional runway. This action is due to the fact that the bran or outer coating 76 of the wheat berry is composed of a woody, glutinous fiber which, when wet or containing any considerable amount of moisture, will loosen up and make the berry rough and,

furthermore, will exude a glutinous, sticky 7g substance, thereby materially increasing the .tendency of such damp wheat to cling to the inclined frictional runway. This increasing tendency of moist wheat to adhere to the inclined frictional runway will retardv the veso locity of the flowing stream thereof approximately in proportion to kthe amount of moisture therein contained. In a highly eiiicient apparatus, the mechanism for controlllng the supply of water to the wheat must be affected by or subject to variations in the quantity of grain flowing per unit of time, andto the moist condition of the flowing' grain. In my present invention I provide an apparatus which automatically accomplishes theseresult's.

` Broadly stated, the above noted results are accomplished by the provision, in connectionI with a conduit for sup lying water to the wheat and a valve' or inclined frictional runwa so-called, over which the wheat 1s cause to run, and a cooperating valve controller or actuator com- 'prising an im act plate, so-called, so ar- 1o@ so-called impact plate of the valve'controller 16S will depend both upon the weight and the velocity of the stream of flowing wheat running over and from the inclined frictional runway, and as the velocity of said wheat 1s decreased by the moisture primarily congiven the lar est 60" Btv have taken advantage evice for regulating -ggl the flow of water through said'condult, of an tained in the wheat, it of course follows that if this impact plate be set under any certain predetermined yielding pressure, the opening movement of the valve, and consequently the amount of water su plied to the wheat, will be approximately t at required to properly moisten the drywleat or to complete the moistening or dampening of the wheat which lng an adjustable lever connection between Vview of the apparatus, with some parts broken the-water feed valve and impact plate, some parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan away. V Fig. 4 is a detail in section on the line .fc4 x4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail in section, taken on the line m5 x5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a v1ew in rear elevation, showing theelevated water supply tank and cooperating devices.

F 1g. 7 is an enlarged detail 1n horizontal section, taken approximately on the line x7 of Flg. 1. Flg. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line x8 x8 of Figs. 3 and 6, some parts being broken away; and Fig. 9 is a detail in section on the line ,m9 of Fig. S.

`S out`2 whlch, asv shown, is arranged to de- `works a spiral conveyer 5 by means of which The inclined frictional runway 1 for the wheat or material to be dampened, is prefer-v ably -formed by the bottom ol' an inclined liverdirectly into one side of a box-like casing 3.'. This casing 3 is provided withan open bottom that registers with an o )ening in the top of a feed trough 4-1n whic 1, as shown,

the tempered or dampened grain will usually be delivered to the so-called break rollers (not shown).

Located within the inclined spout 2 and pivotall connected to the top thereof is ai so-calle dash board or deiecting plate 6, the

' function of which will hereinafter appear.

As shown, the downwardly extended 'free edge of this dash board 6 is adjustably supported from the top of the spout 2 by a chain 7 that' worksthrough a 'suitable passage 8in the top of the said s out, with which )assage the chain is adapte to be interlocked in different positions. The water supply conduit, as shown, is ailforded by pipe sections 9 and 10, a tubular column 11, and certain inter- Osed casings, hereinafter described. At its oWer endv the column 11 has' an extended base 11EIL that is rigidly secured, as shown, to

the top of the box-like casing 3. The pipe section 9 leads from any suitable source of water supply, such as one of the distributing pipes of cit water system, and the pipe section 10 lea( s lfrom 'the bottom of the tubular column 11 and terminates inposition to discharge wat'e'r onto the'stream 'of grain vas it falls from the inclined runway 1 into the trough 4. box-like valve casing 12 is supported by the tubular column 11 and is intel'- vposed between said column and the pipe .sec-

tion 9, and the -only passage for the Water from the pipe section 9 to the columnll is through an elongated segmental port y13 formed, as shown, in a detachable head 12a of 'said casing 12. A bearing bracket 14 is rigidly secured to the said head 12". A rock shaft 15 is mounted in the head 12a and bracket 14 with its inner end extending into the casing`12. lTo the inner end of said rock shaft 15 is secured a segmental spring-seated valve 16 that coperates with the port 13, to openand close the same, as hereinafter described. In its closed position, one` edge of thevalve 16 is engaged with a beveled stop 17, shown asin the form of a cone, formed as part of they nut 17 a that works on a threaded stud 18 secured to the head 12a. This conical stop 17 is adjustable toward and from the 4head 12a to vary the amount of lap which will be given to the valve 16 in its closed position, and, furthermore, it has a camming action on said valve, tending to force the same a ainst its seat on the head 1 2a When the sai valve is "closed,

To the. cxtreme outer end of the rock shaft or oscillatory valve ste1n15 is secured a slotted arm 19 that coperates with a similar overlapping slotted arm 20, shown as pivoted to a supporting bracket 21, which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the tubular column 11. water valve controller is located within the box 3 in such position that it is directly subject to the impact or force of the momentum of the stream of wheat which has passed over the inclined frictional runway 1. This impact plate 22, as shown, is rigidly secured to a stem 23 that works through a suitable slot 3a in the box 3, and the upper end of which is rigidly secured to a short depending portion of the slotted arm 20. The two overlapped slotted arms 19 and 2() are pivotally connected by a longitudinally ad'ustahle pivetal coupling shown in detail in `ig. 4. This coupling includes a nut 24 which has a hub arranged to work in the slot of the arm 20. This nut- 24 is engaged by the threaded stem 25 of a clamping screw 26,"which, adjacent io its head, has an nnthreaded portion 27 of' larger diameter than the said screw. The stem 25 worksloosely or without threaded engagennnt through a clamping block 28 interposed between the arms 19 and 20. The screw portion 27 works freely in the slot of The so-called impact plate 22 of thethe arm 19 and at all times serves as a pivot. When the screw 26 is tightened, the nut 24 and block 28 are caused to frictionally clamp the arm 20 and thus hold the frictional coupling inany desired position on said arm 20. The slotted arm 20 has an arm extension 201 to which the upper end of a coiled spring 29 is attached. The lower or inner end of 'this' into or cut out of action so as toV thereby vary the strength of the said spring. The spring 29 should be so wound that it is normally tight and its coils, when closed, should have the same number of threads per inch as the threaded rod .30. This spring 29 exerts a force which tends to hold the impact plate 22 in the'position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the slotted levers 19 and 20 in the alined position' shown in Fig. 2, and the valve 16 in the closed position shown in Fig. 8, and in these normal positions of the parts the coils of the spring Will be drawn together. Hence, the head 31 and the fingers 32 may be adjusted upward or downward with re.- spect to the spring, and at such times, when the spring is closed, without varying the tension which the spring will normally exert. It

is, however, evident, that the shorter the spring the greaterwill be the force required to move the impact plate 22 and, hence, the valve 16, any predetermined distance away v from its normal position.

Asshown in Fig. 1, the arm 19 is providedl with a pointer 33 that coperates with a scale 34 on one end of the bearing bracket 14 to indicate the position of the water supply valve 16. As is evident, by adjustments of the pivotal connection between the two levers 19 and 20 the, amount of movement that` -will be given to the valve 16 under any certain amount of movement of the impactplate 22 may be varied. For instance, when i the said pivotal connection is moved upward the amount of movement that will be given to the valve 16 under any deiinite movement of the said impact plate 22 will be increased and, conversely, when the said pivotal connection is lowered, the said relative move- Y summarized, 1s substantially as follows: The

supplied `to `the.valve 16, under a constant' pressure, and to this end provide novel means for automatically maintalnmg a constant head of water in a suitable elevated water supply tank. This supply tank 35, at

its lower end, is connected to a casing 36 that is interposed between the two parts oi the pipe 9, as vshown in Fig. 6, and is provided with a dividing partition 37. receiving side oi the partition 37, the casing 36 is provided with la port 38 that constitutes an ingress passage to the tank 35, and on the discharge side of said partition 37 said casing is provided with a port 39 that con- A stitutes an egress port to said tank. A perforated vertical partition 40 divides the tank 35 into' two compartments on a line between the ports 38 and 39and prevents the passageof Sandor other foreign material with they water to the wheat. A vertically movable plunger valve 41 coperates with the ingress port 38. As shown, this valve is guided by a tubular projection 42 of the casing 36, which tube Vis open at the sides of its lower portion. the free disch arge of water into the to permit tank 35. The valve 41 is provided with an upwardly projecting stem 43 that is conne'cted to a lever 44 which, as shown, is intermediately pivoted toa lug 45 on the `top or cover 46 of the tank 35. At one eiid, the lever. 44 is provided with an adjustable counter-weight 47, and suspended from the other end of said lever, as shown, by means of a link 48, is a water receiving vessel 49, herein designated as a water can. The lower portion of this can 49 is connected by 'a iiexible tube 50, to the intermediate por- With this valve tion of the water tank 35. actuating device, the weight 47 should 'be so set that when there is no water in the can 49 the valve 41 will be raised into position to o en up the port 38 and allow water to enter t ie supply tank 35. When the water rises in the tank 35 to a point above the outlet to the can 49 through the tube 50, the water will, oi' course, run into .said can and will vrise therein until the Weight `of the waterin said can overcomes ,the force of the weight 47', whereupon the valve 41 will be forced downward into position to close the ingress port 38 and thus temporarily shut oil' the supply of water to the tank 35. When water is drawn from the tank 35 it will also run from the can 49 until the effective weight On the of said can is less than that of the weight 47,

and ,then the valve 41 will be again moved into an open position. In this way, the water in 'the tank 35 is kept approximately at a constant level so that the water will be supplied to the valve 16 under predeter mined pressure, which pressure, however, is variable by` adjustments of the weight 47.

The operation of the apparatus, briefly as is obvious, in passing from the discharge` end of the inclined runway '1,l is, by its acquired momentum, thrown against the impact plate 22, thereby forcing the latter in a direction which, through the coper ating arms l19 and 20, will move ,the valve 16 into a position to open up the port 13 a greater or less extent,- depending Kon the amount of movement given to the said impact plate. As already ,fully stated, the amount of opening movement thus given to the valve will be that required to give a supply of'water sufcient to dampen dry wheat or to complete the dampening of sliglrtly damp wheat, as1 required ,to put the wheat in the yproper condition for milling. By adjustments of the pivotal connection between the two arms 19 and 20 in a manner already described, the amount of water which will be Igiven'to a certain unit or-'measure of wheat of 'any degree ofinitial dampness, may be considerably varied. Different conditions frequently require different amounts of moisture in the branor outer shell of the wheat berry, and this, as is evident, may be provided for by the adjustments just noted.

The wheat and water, more or less commingled, drop into the trough 4 and by the sprial conveyer 5 are further commingled ani fed outward, usually to the first break ro s.

The apparatus above described, while de-` scribed m its use for treating wheat, may, of course, be used for various other purposes where .it is desired to commingle a predetermined amount of waterv or other liquid and other grain, orother granular or finely divided materials which are capable of running or iiowing over an inclined frictional runway.y j

What I claimis: 'i

1. In an apparatus ofthe kind described, the combination with an inclined f rictional runway for the'material to be dampened, of'

a water conduit for supplying water to such material, a valve in said conduit, and a valve controller comprising a movably mounted impact plate dlrectly subject to the force of the momentum of the material which hasI .passed downward over said inclined liriclrunway for the material to vbe dampened, of

- -a water conduit for supplying water to such material, `a valve in said conduit, and a valve controller comprising a movably mounted impact plate directly subject to the-force of the momentum ofthe-material which has passed downward over said inclined frictional runway, and a yielding element tendf ing to force said impact plate against the force' of the momentum of said-'mate11 al ,l

substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the ykind described, the combination with an inclined Jrictional runway for the material to be dampened, of .a water conduit for supplying water to such material, a valve in said conduit, and'a valve controller comprising a pivotally mounted impact plate directly subject to the force' of A i `material, a valve in sald conduit, and a valve controller' comprising a movably' mounted impact plate dlrectly subject to the force of the momentum of the material which has passed downward over said inclined frictional runway, and an adjustable 'spring exertin -a forcelt'ending to move said impact p ate against the force of the m0 mentum of said' material, substantially. as described.

' 5.' In an apparatus of the kind described the combination with an inclined frictional runway for the material to be dampened, of a I water conduit for supplying water to such material, a valve in sal conduit, and a valve controller comprising` an impact plate directly subject to the orce of the momentum of -the material which has assed downward over said inclined frictiona runway, a yielding resistance device tending to vmove said impact plate against the force of the momentum of said material, and an adjustable connection between said impact plate and said valve for varying the amount ofmovement given to said valve under redetermined movement of said impact p ate, substantially as described. v

6. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with 1an. inclined frictional runway for the material to be dampened, of a waterconduit for supplying water to such controller com rising a yieldingly mounted -impact plate directly subject'to the force of the momentum of the material which has been passed downward oversaid inclined frictional runway, overla ped arms, one connected to said'valve an the other to said impact plate, and alongitudinally adjustable j pivotal connection between the said twoarms, substantially a`s described.

12o materlal, a valve in said conduit, and avalve 7. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with an inclined frictional runway l'or the material to be dampened, of a wan-r conduit for supplying Water to such material. a valve in said conduit, and a valve controller' comprising a pivotally mounted impact plate directly subject to the force of the momentum of the material which has passed downward over said inclined friclional runway, a pair of overlapped slotted arms, the one connected to said valve and the other to said impact plate, a longitudinally adjustable pivotal connection between illu said two slotted arms, and a spring tending to move said impact plate against the force ot' the momentum of said material, substantially as described.

S. ln an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with an inclined frictional runway for the material to be dampened, of a dash board or deflecting plate overlying said runway, a water conduit for supplying Water to such material, a valve in said conduit, and

controller for said valve comprising a yieldon; impact plate directly subject to the force of the momentum of the material which has passedv over said inclined frictional runway, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination With a conduit for the -material to be dampened and a conduit for the water to be supplied thereto, of an elongat-ed port interposed in said Water conduit, a valve coperating with said elongated port, and a controller for said valve comprising an im act plate subject to the flowing material to e dampened, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a conduit for the material to be dampened and a conduit for the water to be supplied thereto, of a port and a co erating valve interposed in said Water con uit, a beveled stop acting on said valve when the latter is closed to press the same against its seat, and a controller for said valve comprising an im act plate connected to said valve and subject to the floW- ing material to be dampened, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus ol' the kind described,

vi'low of material to be dampened, substantially as described.

12. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a conduit for the material to be dampened and a conduit for the Water to be supplied thereto, of a valve i'n said water conduit, a valve con,-

troller connected to said valve and subject to the flow of the material Which has passed said material conduit, and a ielding device tending to maintain said va ve in a closed position, comprising a coiled s ring, a threaded rod axially alined with sai spring, and a spring adjusting head havin threaded engagement with the threaded ro and havin one or more fingers adjustably engageab e between the coils of said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. l ALVA H. KIRK. Witnesses H. D. KILGORE, F. D. MERCHANT 

